The Little Things
by odalys-ortiz
Summary: The first in a series I dubbed Plot Holes. After being injured while unsuccessfully trying to help Krugar, John is having a small bit of trouble patching himself up. Only one person comes to mind that he wants to help him. Careese because I don't know any better. Does take place after Nothing to Hide.


Disclaimer: So yeah the characters belong to all those guys even though they don't deserve them. Damn writers.

* * *

The Little Things

Carter dropped her things off on the bed. It had become something of a new routine that she adjusted to quickly. After being demoted to a beat cop, she hadn't been in a good mood for the last couple of weeks. Being assigned a rookie made things a bit more complicated because she would have to watch what she said around him; like earlier when she was talking with Fusco about Cal's case file. The kid seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, but that didn't mean that she was going to let up on being a hard ass.

Now new problems had decided to spring up. Beecher's case file was now off limits to Fusco which meant that she would have to find other means to get access. Carter would get around to asking Finch a bit later. She knew that the smaller man was more than willing to help since they had a great working relationship. Excited at the chance to strip away the uniform, she jumped into the shower for a bit to wash away the grime before changing into some fresh clothes. Feeling a bit more refreshed, she went back to her room to put everything in its place. Carter took another look at the board she had made weeks ago detailing everything she knew about HR. She couldn't help but stare at all the players in the deadly game she was playing. There was one key component missing in the HR organization and that was the leader. He was lurking in the shadows somewhere; it was just a matter of luring him out.

Cooperating with Elias was a big mistake she knew, and that was the reason why Carter never told John what she had done. After rescuing him and getting in contact with a few of his men, Elias was safely tucked away for no one to discover just yet. It didn't help things that John seemed to be quite suspicious of her actions a few days ago. She found it a bit nerve-wracking that he was so worried about her. It took them a few weeks to patch their friendship up and things were beginning to fall into the familiar, comforting pattern that they had with each other.

Carter shouldn't have been surprised that John suspected something was off with her. There was something about the two of them that she couldn't quite understand. He would always somehow know that things were off with her, even if they haven't spoken for days. Joss appreciated the company, but she had to be careful. No telling if John would take a chance and break into her apartment again to find out what was going on.

After putting everything away, she stretched her arms over her head to work out the kinks in her back. Her cell phone soon lit up with an incoming call. Carter already knew who it was without looking at the caller ID. John would occasionally call when she finished her shift to see how it went. She leaned over and grabbed it while her thumb opened the line. "So how did everything go with Krugar? Was the guy hiding something?"

"You could say that" John uttered before a loud groan got through. Joss's ears couldn't help but perk up. "Unfortunately, the guy was way over his head and one of the 'groan' people he screwed over finished him off."

Joss found herself ignoring the last part of the sentence. "Are you alright John?"

"No Carter, not really. I could be a lot worse but my ribs are not exactly happy about what happened today."

Joss recognized the description of his injuries and recalled what happened to him when he was ambushed while undercover for the armor car company. "How many times do I have to tell you to be careful John? I swear I should just lend you one of my vests. Where did it happen this time?" She was hiding the fact that she was genuinely worried through anger. The guy puts himself out there quite a bit to protect a stranger but sometimes John would put the numbers' safety above his own. Even though he was constantly wearing his vest, John would get bruised up once in a while.

There was some sort of rustling along with more moans and groans on the other end. Joss could only guess that he was trying to attend to his injuries rather than have a doctor look them over. "In the back, near the right shoulder blade."

"Are you kidding me? How did you manage that? You know what, never mind that. By the sound of things, you don't seem to be taking it easy like you should."

"Well, I'm trying to tape myself up but I seem to be in a predicament." John didn't like to admit it, but the faster he could get the task done, the better.

"You need another set of hands right?" Joss had to keep herself from laughing at the thought of John having trouble with something so simple. Then again, the guy must have been in quite a bit of pain from the sound of things.

"Yeah and I don't think I can ask Finch. He tends stay away from doing any sort of doctor work."

"And what about your other friend?" Carter had met the younger woman a few weeks back after she reluctantly agreed to work with John and Finch.

"Shaw is busy getting something to eat at the moment." John was eliminating all of the other options available one by one. There was only one other person who would be able help him since Fusco had plans with his kid.

Carter came to the same conclusion and sighed heavily before grabbing a pen and paper from a nearby drawer. "Give me the address and I'll be over in a few John."

She couldn't see it but he was smiling as he gave her the address.

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Joss knocked gingerly on the wooden door. She had gotten dressed in some blue jeans and a red sweater with some black boots. The weather outside wasn't too bad but she couldn't afford to get sick right now. Along the way, she stopped by a pharmacy to get the strongest painkillers possible without a prescription.

She didn't hear any movement inside. Instead she heard John inside, letting her know that the door was open. Finding it a bit strange that he let her come all this way without calling her and telling her to forget he asked for help, she clutched the paper bag a bit harder before reaching for the doorknob.

Twisting the knob slowly, the door gave way. Joss pushed further to get in and she was immediately impressed with the place. It looked like it would cost quite the pretty penny. John deserved it, she thought, for all the good that he's done.

John gave her a minute to take in the apartment before speaking up."Welcome to my humble abode Detective," he greeted her from the other end of the room.

Joss began removing her thick coat and putting it on a hook near the door. She then proceeded to put the locks back in place, sure that he would have asked her to do it anyway. "Well, I have to say that you've managed to do well for yourself." When she finally looked at John, Joss had to hide her gasp.

He wasn't standing so much as leaning on a table for support. Joss could make out a couple of sheets of gauze, tape, and what looked to be a bag of ice. As she went closer to John, she tried to keep cool. It was because of what he was wearing or in this case, not wearing. John was barefoot in some dark drawstring pants. There was nothing keeping his torso hidden from her.

Joss was mentally impressed at John's physique. His muscles were bulging a bit as he delicately draped an arm over his stomach. His skin looked like it had been kissed many times over by the sun with its beautiful shade of bronze. Normally Joss wasn't taken in by something so simple but John kept bringing up those feelings during their now more than two years of knowing each other.

When she reached the table, Joss pulled the items from the bag and put them on the table so John could see them. "I thought that I would stop by the pharmacy and get you something to hopefully dull the pain that I know you're in."

John tried to reach his free hand over to grab it but only managed to wince again as his ribs seemed to be pushing in all the wrong directions. He resumed his previous position, trying to ease the obvious worry that was written all over her face. "I appreciate the gesture. Maybe I'll take a few later."

Joss reached over the table and grabbed the gauze. "Well how about I get started. Can you move your arm?"

"You might not like what you see Carter" he warned. When John allowed her to see, he saw the telltale sign of concern in her eyes.

Joss sifted through the small scars that blemished his skin and noticed the deep color of black and blue that looked like it reached all the way around. "John…" She involuntarily reached out to him, hoping to lightly touch the spot to judge how bad he was hurt. John managed to inch just out of her reach and her eyes silently asked her question when he looked into them.

John tried his best to smile and ease her worry. He knew that she shouldn't be so concerned about him; he wasn't anyone that she should concern herself with. Yet she came to him to offer her help which was something John didn't ask for often. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't call Finch's doctor to check his injuries. "Just wrap that around my waist so that my ribs will stay in place. They should heal in about a week or two if the next few cases go easy enough."

Joss couldn't believe what he was saying, shaking an injury off like it was nothing. "I don't think you should do that John. It looks really bad. If you needed a vest, why didn't you just ask me? I'm sure I could've found one to lend to you."

He shook his head in refusal. "A regular vest won't fit under my clothes. Besides, doing it this way makes the bad guys think I have no protection so they'll just shoot me in the chest. I've had quite a string of good luck. I don't know what they used this time though and it hurts like hell but the vest caught it."

Joss didn't like that fact that he was still hurt. John tried to take precautions, she knew that. She wondered if he would ever take enough precautions for her standards. "Well let's try to get you patched up. You can take the drugs and hopefully feel better. I don't know how you can pretend not be bothered by that." Her eyes pointed towards the discolored skin.

"Just the hazards of the job." John gave the impression that he didn't think it was such a big deal.

Joss had to get it through his thick skull. "John, how can you say that this is all a part of the job? All of the hits that you take and the times that you've been shot at aren't the safest thing in the world. I know that you don't care about yourself as much as you should but I want you to be more careful."

She wondered where this had all came up. During the time they took to rebuild their fractured friendship, she never once broached the subject of putting himself second. Joss wanted to make John believe that his life was just as important as the lives of all of those strangers, but she just couldn't find the right words without having him push away from her or changed the subject. Maybe distracting herself with the task at hand would help ease the tension.

Joss made her way over to the end of the table where John stood. "How about I go ahead and get you patched up." The gauze in hand, Joss ducked out of view while he turned his head to watch her for a reaction to what she would see. "Jesus John, how am I supposed to do this without hurting you? I don't even know why I even agreed to help" she mumbled.

"Don't worry about it Carter. I'm a big boy." Joss noticed the snarky grin that was plastered on his face.

"Well big boys don't go getting their ribs messed up like this." She couldn't help herself as she let her fingertips graze over the bruised area. Joss noticed him flinch a bit at the coldness of her hands. "In all serious John, I don't want to make things worse for you."

"I'll be fine" he reassured. John wondered to himself if she was so protected because they were friends. He knew where she was coming from with her discomfort. John would probably be feeling the same if the roles were reversed. "I just need you to wrap the gauze a few times. It'll be quick."

Joss knew that he was just trying to make her feel better, but she still couldn't be sure. The guy took a bullet with minimal protection. From the look of things, his ribs looked to be in bad shape. She didn't want to keep arguing with him though, she knew that his stubborn streak matched hers. Joss sighed in surrender and began to roll out the gauze. "Okay, can you move your hands out a bit?"

John shifted a bit that allowed his hands to be further away so her hands could slip under him. When he felt Joss put a bit of pressure in the middle of his back, he had to fight the pain so as not to have her make a bigger fuss. John just hoped that his poker face would be able to last. He decided to try a technique he learned back in the days of the CIA that allowed him to escape into his thoughts when he was being tortured for information and wanted to forget all about the pain.

When he closed his eyes, John noticed a faint sweet scent reach his nostrils. He noticed that it became stronger as he turned his head and commented about it to Joss. "Oh that, yeah Taylor bought some perfume for me the other day." She stopped speaking for a moment as she began to loop the gauze over his shoulders for support. "Normally Taylor would buy me something if he was in trouble or wanted a favor. I decided to humor him and spray a bit on today." Joss wasn't surprised that John would notice something like. She wasn't keen on dousing herself in perfume, wanting to be taken seriously while on the job.

"Maybe he's just trying to set you up on a date" he teased. John wasn't too worried about that theory panning out. He knew that Taylor would rather prefer John take his mother out, and he wouldn't mind doing so either.

Joss gave him an evil eye that he barely noticed before she went back to work. "Very funny John. I warned my son to not try to play cupid with me. He knows by now if I was going to be serious with someone, I would introduce the guy to him because I care about his opinion."

"You raised him well Carter." Even if Joss heard that a million times, he wanted to tell her too. Taylor was a great kid. She gave her thanks while she continued to work on taping his ribs. Looking down at his waist, John was feeling a bit better because she had managed to wrap the gauze securely around his stomach and was now making sure that it would stay in place by wrapping it around his shoulders. John couldn't help but be relieved that he wouldn't need to take the painkillers Joss got him. He knew he would need a clear head in case a new number came up.

"Looks like I've done all I can here" she announced happily. Joss moved to John's front while he looked down at her handy work. The gauze wasn't so tight that it restricted his movements and it would do the job. He was happy that he asked for her help, even if his pride would have liked for him to do the task solo. He would recover.

Joss looked at him with knowing eyes. "So do I even have to ask?"

"Ask what?" John enjoyed the little games between them. It was something that only the two of them knew the rules to.

She just shook her head and gave him another look. "John, I know that it takes a lot for you to ask for help."

John patted his stomach lightly, smiling reassuringly at her. "It does, but that doesn't mean you have to know the reason. Thanks for this though. I know that you probably had things to do tonight."

"Not really. Taylor's hanging out at a friend's house for the night so I had the place to myself." Joss realized that this time with John was usually how she spent her days when she wasn't on patrol. Talking with him was easy, especially because they both shared a strange line of work with the numbers. He wasn't lying the other night when he told that they hadn't sat down and just chatted in a while. With Taylor gone, she could stick around for a bit before having to head on home, at least if he didn't mind her company.

John just eyed the bottle of pills while wondering why she was forcing herself to stay here. He thought that she would have taken off as soon as her job was finished. "I'll take these a bit later just so you know."

"Yeah and I know that you won't, even if I pester you to. At least take one to humor me." John just smiled at her. "Well I tried" she joked, getting a laugh out of both of them. "I should probably go home and let you get some rest." Joss made no move to get up as she said this.

"You don't have to do that," John said quickly

Joss finally slid off the chair. "I know that I don't have to, but I probably should." She began to edge towards the door.

"I know that you're hiding something from me Joss," John told her suddenly. He had noticed that she had been acting strange, more distant with him. The phone call earlier didn't ease any of his worry and even after she willingly came over tonight, he still wasn't convinced that something wasn't wrong.

Joss cursed in her mind as her gaze darted around the room. It was foolish of her to think that she could hide anything from the very observant John Reese. She wished she could tell him that she had saved Elias and was keeping his location a secret from HR, but Joss wanted to handle everything herself. This was her mess and she figured if she found had gotten in way over her head, she could then ask for help. She turned her back to him. "I'm not sure if I want you involved just yet. Don't really know how you would take what I did."

"What do you mean?" John wanted to walk over to her, but his injuries continued to keep him from moving.

"How about I just tell you that I'm still planning on taking HR down and we just leave it at that?" Joss wasn't really lying to him. She just didn't know how he would take the news. For some reason, she was afraid of how John would see her. His "moral compass" was assisting a criminal to get back at another criminal organization. Joss could only imagine how angry he would be when he found out, especially since he had warned her to keep her head down.

"Joss." Her name just rolled off of his lips as John found the strength the push away from the table and slowly walk towards her. When he closed the distance, he placed a large hand on her shoulder, causing her body to stiffen in surprise. "I know that dealing with all this, the demotion and HR, is taking is toll on you." He squeezed his hand slightly. "I just want you to be careful. If you need anything, I'm only a phone call away."

John had told her that so many times a few weeks after she helped Fusco and he realized his mistake of brushing her off. He was trying to be there for her the way he used to be before Rikers and Kara changed things. Joss reached a hand up to put it over his before nodding in acknowledgement. "I know, thanks." She gave him a squeeze before he let her go.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" John just smiled as she turned and looked at him. "You know that I'm not even remotely going to be sitting around here until I'm better."

Joss just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. Let's meet at the café before my shift starts." She had gathered her things and was at the door now with him on her heels.

"It's a date then Joss."

"It's just breakfast. See you then." She was out the door in a flash. John leaned out and watched her until she was out of view. Closing and locking up again, he looked at the pill bottle a short distance away before opting to just get some sleep to pass the time before he met up with Joss again.

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A/N: Thank you to all the people that continue to read my stuff. I've noticed that the last few things I've done have gotten longer than what I've normally done in the past so hopefully I'm not rambling or something that's causing it to get padded out. Thanks SW for taking the time to look these things over. As a small present to everyone, I'm gonna try out a holiday story that will be posted next week so be on the lookout for that.


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